OFFICIAL EVALUATION

One of the unique facets of our chapter is our endeavor to establish a fair and comprehensive method of evaluating our officials. We pride ourselves on ensuring that each of our officials gets evaluated. As such, we have formulated a mission statement for this committee which is:

“Provide all members of the NTBOA observation, evaluation and feedback to assist in their continual development, as well as define the level of play individuals are qualified to officiate. “

Based on the mission statement, the committee has been named the Referee Evaluation and Feedback (REF) Committee. Below you will find an overview of the committee process along with a description of the evaluation criteria and the tier structure. The feedback you receive will provide you with a roadmap for improvement that will help you prepare for the upcoming season.

If you have any questions on the process, feel free to reach out to me.

I look forward to working with all of you.

Sincerely,

John Carleton
NTBOA REF Committee Chair
972-897-2134
johncarleton@hotmail.com

NTBOA REFEREE EVALUATION and FEEDBACK (REF) SYSTEM

Evaluation Opportunities
NTBOA uses many avenues to evaluate officials such as camp, showcases, leagues and regular season games. It is highly recommended that you participate in as many as possible to improve your officiating.

The Evaluation Process
The NTBOA utilizes a tier ranking system. Every official will be given a tier placement, which will determine the level of play and/or the officiating level (Referee, U1, U2) they are qualified to officiate. This tier ranking will be utilized by the Assignments Team during the season. The tier structure, along with a description of the elements used for evaluation, is listed below. Committee members have been given oversight and responsibility for a designated group of officials. Listed below are the committee members and the portion of the alphabet for which they are responsible:

FAQ
Will every official be evaluated/need to be evaluated?
Yes, all officials will be evaluated. If the Observation Chairperson/Assignments Team has concerns about an official’s tier determination, low or high, the official will be re-evaluated during the opportunities that are available.

Can I appeal my ranking?
If you feel you were not evaluated at the proper level, you should contact the REF Committee chair to discuss your ranking and the appeal process.

Will the tier system be explained?
The overall breakdown of the tier-structure along with a description of the elements used for evaluation purposes is provided below. As stated previously, every official will be provided with written feedback. It is our goal to give every official a document that can provide a roadmap for improvement. The evaluation will include constructive feedback that will help officials get to the level they feel they belong.

NTBOA TIER PLACEMENT CHART
The tier placements are meant to serve as a guide for the assignments team. There is no guarantee that you will receive any certain level of game; this guide just states that you are eligible.

Tier Ranking Descriptions for NTBOA

Tier                 Description of Expected Capabilities and Opportunities

100                  Able to officiate as the Crew Chief at every level of play.

200                  Can officiate all levels of play; able to officiate as the Crew Chief at every level of play, but should not be assigned as Crew Chief in higher-level 6A/5A boys games.

300                  Able to officiate all levels of play; can serve as crew chief up to 6A/5A varsity girls.

350                  Able to officiate up to 6A/5A varsity girls; can serve as crew chief up to 6A/5A JV boys/girls.

400                  Able to officiate up to 6A/5A JV boys/girls and up to 4A varsity boys/girls as U1/U2; can serve as crew chief up to 3A varsity boys/girls.

500                  Able to officiate as U1/U2 up to 3A varsity boys/girls; can officiate as crew chief up to 2A/1A varsity boys/girls; able to officiate all levels of JV boys/girls.

600                  Able to officiate all levels of JV boys/girls; able to officiate middle school.

700                  Able to officiate middle school.

Tier                 Notes Explaining Tier Revisions

100                  No change here – the 100s should be the best NTBOA has to offer.

200                  This tier has been expanded slightly to allow a 200 to serve as Crew Chief in a 6A/5A varsity boys’ game, but this tier now includes all the 200s who are not yet ready for the most competitive boys’ games which NTBOA services at the 6A/5A level but can officiate the less competitive 6A/5A varsity boys’ games.

300                  No change here.

350                  This tier has expanded expectations to include officiating as Crew Chief at 6A/5A JV boys/girls level.  Officials in this tier are expected to be able to officiate any game NTBOA services with the exception of 6A/5A varsity boys’ games (allows for the cases where an official has lost a bit of mobility or is not yet ready for the highest level games).

400                  Expands this level to include the 6A/5A JV boys/girls along with the 4A and down varsity.  Can officiate as Crew Chief at 3A varsity boys/girls level.  This level should be the training ground for all those officials who expect to move up or think they have the talent to call the higher level games.  It also now effectively requires that no lower-ranked official can be thrown into a JV game which is over his or her head.

500                  This tier has expanded expectations to include officiating as Crew Chief at 2A/1A varsity boys/girls level; able to officiate all levels of JV boys/girls; can officiate as U1/U2 up to 3A varsity boys/girls.

600                  This tier includes the former 600 and 700 tiers.  Able to officiate all levels of JV boys/girls and all middle school games.

700                  This tier includes the former 800 and 900 tiers.  Able to officiate only middle school games.

Evaluation Elements (5 Total)

Appearance & Court Presence
Is the official physically fit?
Is the officials’ uniform properly sized?
Does he or she carry himself/herself with good posture and look like they belong on the court?
Is he/she concerned with the game itself rather than drawing attention to himself/herself?
Is he/she confident without being arrogant?

Judgment & Application of Rules
Are rules correctly applied?
Are calls correct?
Can official differentiate between incidential and illegal contact?
Is officiating consistent within the crew?
Are non-calls made when legal play occurs, even though something may “look bad?”

Game Management/Communication
Is illegal action called throughout the game or does the allowed level of contact change during the game?
Are potential problems between players recognized and addressed before they escalate into technical foul situations?
Are coaches addressed when needed and warned for inappropriate behavior, not only with the head coach but with the assistant(s) and players?
Is inappropriate bench behavior allowed to continue?
Do officials have an awareness of the game clock, multiple free throws, and dead ball situations and communicate clearly with the table?
Does each official clearly communicate with his crew members during foul calls and prior to inbounding ball?

Hustle and Work Ethic
Are officials able to keep up with the pace of play?
Can officials get into position to see through the offense and the defense?
Are officials purposeful in their movements?
Do officials administer free throws and throw-ins in a timely fashion?

Mechanics
Does the official know his areas of coverage and responsibility in relation to ball position?
Does the official watch off-ball or does he keep his eye on the ball at all times?
Does the official always use proper signals?
Is the official confident and strong with his or her signals?
Is the official believable and clear in his or her foul call reporting techniques?
Does the official cover the floor as needed in relation to his or her co-officials?
Are rotations done at the proper time?
Is the official watching competitive matchups?